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New Airlines keep popping every year. So, it is time for travel company Thomas Cook to start it’s own.
Facts -
- It is a result of merger between MyTravel and Thomas Cook
- Launch Date – March 30th 2008
- Number of Aircrafts – 42
- Inaugural Flight – London, UK (Gatwick) to Reus, Spain (Departs at 5:05 am)
- Hubs – Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, East Midlands
- Aircrafts – Airbus (320-200, 321-200, 330-200) and Boing 767-300ER
A wonderful holiday to Dreams beach Marsa Alam, was spoiled by the airline Thomas Cook changing the route against what was agreed from Marsa to Gatwick TCX 406L to Marsa to Gatwick via Manchester adding approx 3/4 hours to the journey. A practise that they apparently have been doing under the covers for months.
The whole reason of booking Egypt is guaranteed sun inside of 6 hours flying, (normally 5 and a half). They have apparently been doing this regularly but are not making clear at booking stage which would enable customers to have the choice.
The aircraft used are the short haul style that Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall would condem for chickens. No warning for those who had not booked the meals as they though it was a relatively short journey.
Many on the inbound flight from Manchester were not made aware of the same occurrence where they had to stop at Gatwick, they only found out on the flight, many had babies and children and agin had booked specifically based on the short flight to the sun.
Hundreds of customers are being duped at contract stage. Clearly, they are doing it to save money, which is fine, but customers should be clear on that at booking stage and not be given last minute notice (ours was pushed through the hotel room door less that 24 hours before the flight, others only found out on the coach. The passengers eagerly snatched customer service froms on the plane to complain.
We had sent an email in advance via a shaky email system at the hotel, which was returned as not beuing the correct department of the Company, they clearly could not be bothered to forward it on for us.( see below)
Do they think saving money by duping customers will secure long term business? I think not.
Regards,
Glen and Jane Ford
Subject: duped customers CRM:00392011
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 10:02:37 +0100
From: monia.zahaf@thomascook.be
To:
Dear,
Thank you your email. However I’m afraid we can not help you as the booking is not ours.
For this matter you need to contact Thomas Cook UK. You find their address below.
Very best regards,
Thomas Cook UK
2nd floor, Commonwealth House
Manchester Airport M90 3FL
U.K
Tel : +44 161 489 5757
Monia Zahaf
Customer Service
Thomas Cook Service Centre Belgium nv/sa
Tramstraat 65
9052 Gent, Belgium
tel: 09 248 49 30
fax: 09 248 49 31
mailto: monia.zahaf@thomascook.be
http://www.thomascook.info/be
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——————- Original Message ——————-
From: Sent: 09/02/2009
To: ; N; Quality Email – Thomas Cook
Subject: duped customers
Hi,
you have changed the flight TCX 406L from what we had originally booked and contracted with you, we had contracted to fly direct to Gatwick and now must fly via Manchester, we and hundreds of others ar very unhappy about this as with the inbound flight from manachester that the bulk of the flight were unaware that there was to be a stop at Gatwick which made their journey 9 hours long instead of the normal 5 and a half hours (there was some small print on their tickets but not ours.)
The jet is one with short haul legroom which is very unpleasant for a 9 hour journey which 9 hours would get you as far as the Caribbean and be considered long haul.
We are very unhappy about this proposed change and want it stopped and returned to our original contract please.
Glen Ford
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